Method of and means for rounding workpieces



Oct. 3, 1944.. E w, STACEY 2,359,395

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ROUNDING WORK-PIECES Filed NOV. 21, 1941 '3SheetS--Sheet l /m/E/v TUR'.

Oct. 3, 1944. E w, STACEYl 2,359,396

METHIOD OF AND MEANS FOR ROUNDING WORK-PIECES Filed Nov. 2l, 1941 3Shees-Sheet 2 Fig: 2 z

E. W'. STACEY METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ROUNDING WORK-PIECES Oct. 3, 1944.

Filed Nov. 21. 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 3, 1944 METHOD OF ANDMEANS FOR. ROUNDIN G WORKPIECES Ernest W. Stacey, Beverly, Mass.,assgnor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., acorporation of New Jersey Application November 21, 1941, Serial No.419,824

26 Claims.

This invention relates to the rounding or cutting to form ofwork-pieces, it being especially applicable vto the production of solesfor shoes, as insoles or outsoles.

In the rounding of work-pieces by the action upon vthem of a drag-knife,such as is employed in the well known Planet Sole Rounding Machine, theexcess of blank-area over that of the finished piece produces a chip orwaste-strip of differing widths. As the knife advances, it must freeitself from this strip by forcing it outwardly. This produces a veryconsiderable resistance to the cutting action, varying with thecharacter and weight of the stock and with the degree of curvature ofthe pattern which guides the knife. In overcoming this resistance causedby the clearing of the chip, a substantial force other than thatnecessary to sever the blank must be applied. This may `have the effectof displacing the work from the clamping means, or, if the stock issoft, may stretch it away from the pattern. In either case, Vthe piececut will not correspond in contour tothat of said pattern. It is anobject of my invention to eliminate largely the chip-resistance, andthus allow the knife to follow the pattern accurately and to permit anincrease in the thickness of the stock which may be formed during anoperating cycle A feature of the invention, whereby this object isattained, lies in a method of rounding, in which relative movement isproduced between a blank and a knife, as by moving the knife about aguiding pattern upon which. the blank is clamped, to cut from said blanka work-piece larger than the finished piece, and then continuing therelative movement by uninterrupted advance to cut` such larger piece toits finished form, as by shifting the knife from its initial positionwith respect to the pattern. By thus proceeding, the first cut mayremove a waste-piece, the width of which does not impose uponY the knifeundue lateral resistance. The Vsame is true of the second cut, with theresult that ,no excessive displacing force need be applied to the work,and the knife will follow accurately the form of the pattern. In thisway, work of considerable thickness, as a stack of sole-blanks, may besimultaneously operated upon.

Another feature -of the invention may be found in a machine which may beutilized to perform my improved method. I combine with a pattern,against which a blank or blanks is clamped for a rounding operation, anda co-operating rounding knife, thev two being relatively ymovable tcarry the point of operation ofthe knife about the pattern, meansforpositioning the knife to produce successive roughing and nishing cutsupon the blank. In this action, the knife is preferably arrangedinitially to give the rough.- ing cut and then shifted automatically forthe finishing cut, and nally returned to its initial position, botheffects occurring during the relative movement between the knife andpattern. As herein disclosed, the knife is secured to a slide, movabletoward and from the pattern upon a carrier revoluble about said patternand guided thereby. The knife is shifted toward the pattern after therst or roughing operation, and then from the pattern after the second ornishing operation. These shifts may be effected by an actuating memberor plunger, yrevoluble with the carrier and which may also be moved onsaid carrier, as by means mounted upon the frame of the machine or othersupport xed relatively to the carrier. This rmeans is herein shown ashaviing a cam formed upon a `primary slide, and by which the actuatingmember through intermediate connections carries the knife toward thepattern, while `a secondary slide, associated with the primary slide,returns the actuating member and knife to their initial positions. Thesecondary slide is movable rearwardly and downwardly, considering thecutting path of the knife, and I have taken advantage of the reversemovement of the knife, which is present in rounding machines, to causethis secondary slide to move the actuating member.

One of the several possible .embodiments of my invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a broken top plan Viewof the essential portions of my improved rounding machine;

Fig. 2, a View, partly in elevation and partly in section, vof therounding knife with its more closely associated elements in thefinish-cutting relation;

Fig- 3, a broken top plan View of the knife block and elements carriedthereby;

Fig. 4, a broken side elevation of the mechanism by which the shiftingof the knife is effected;

Fig. 5, a sectional detail on the line V-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6, a top plan view of the pattern with an applied blank, upon whichare indicated the roughing and finishing cuts made by the machine;

Fig. 7, a View similar to Fig. 2, with the elements in the rough-cuttingrelation;

Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 4, taken when the rounding knife has beenrestored to its roughcutting position during its reverse travel; and

Fig. 9, a like view, at the termination of the reverse travel of therounding knife.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings may be seen the rotatable support II! of thePlanet sole rounding machine, with its oscillatory vcarrier-arm I2,spring-urged to maintain surfaces I3, I3 upon the end of its knife-blockI4 in contact with the periphery of the pattern I6. This pattern is separably mounted upon posts I8, I8, rising from :a stationaryframe-portion 28. A vertical dragknife 22 is carried at the forwardportion of the block, and its cutting edge may be yieldably held aboutthe pivot 24 of the block, by a tensionspring 26 joining the block tothe carrier-arm, in the propeprelation to the work clamped upon thepattern. To enable the knife to operate simultaneously upon a pluralityof blanks stacked upon the pattern, it may be of considerable length. Toresist the displacing force upon the upper eX- tremity of the knife, itis shown as backed by an abutment-arm 28 extending from a post 38.

The knife 22, with its abutment and post, are secured to a slide 32,guided upon the block for movement toward and from the pattern beneath acover-plate 34. Rotatable in the carrier-block at one side of the slideis a horizontal shaft 36. This shaft has projecting from its innerextremity a crank-pin 38, lying within a bore in a block 39 guided forvertical reciprocation in the slide. Upon the outer portion of theshaft, a pinion 40 is fast. Meshing with the pinion is a gear-segment42, secured to a shaft 44 journaled in the* outer portion of thecarrier-block and having extending from it an arm 46. Rotatable uponthis arm is a roll 48, having a transversely curved periphery andoccupying a horizontal groove 58 formed in one side of the elongatedhead 52 of an actuating plunger 54, this head and slot lying in an arcabout the pivot 24 of the knife-block. The plunger is guided to slidevertically in a portion of the arm I2, and is retained in the positionto which it may be carried by a friction device 56, movable in the armand engaging the side of the plunger-head. When the plunger 54 is in itslowest position (Fig. '7), it has so rotated the shaft 36 through thearm 46 and gearing 42, 40, that the crank-pin 38 is farthestl removedfrom the periphery of the pattern I6, which, in Fig. 6, appears as adash-dotline. Under these conditions, the slide 32 is so located thatthe roughing cut of the knife 22, indicated by the dash-line in Fig. 6,is separated from the periphery of the pattern to such an extent thatthere remains, after the primary chip or waste C has been severed fromthe blank B operated upon, a marginal portion c. When the plunger 54 israised (Fig. 2), the crank-pin is revolved'through about 180, and theslide and knife are shifted toward the pattern, the latter cutting alongthe dotted line to remove the portion or secondary chip c and give thedesired finished sole. In this inward movement of the knife, the plungeris relieved of a considerable portion of the force which would otherwisebe necessary to effect the shift, by a spring 58 interposed between theslide 32 and a projection 59 from the cover-plate 34 of the knife-block.At the beginning of the ascent of the plunger, it carries the crank-pinover the center, and then the spring 58 expands to move the knife towardthe pattern. This frees the knife-block of the resistance which wouldotherwise exist because of the engagement between the lever-roll 48 andthe walls of the plunger-groove 50, and leaves the block free tooscillate about its pivot 24 as it travels about the pattern.

The mechanism which causes the plunger to assume the two positionsproducing the roughing and finishing cuts, respectively, is shown inFigs. Ll, 5, 8 and 9. Mounted'in ways 60 upon the frame-portion 28 is aprimary slide 62, urged normally forward, in the direction of cuttingtravel of the knife 22, by an expansion-spring 61S. The upper surface 66of the slide is in the form of a cam, which is of such contour and widththat the lower end 68 of the plunger 54 will be engaged by it andelevated, as the support lil rotates, from the position which producesthe roughing cut of the knife to that giving the finishing cut. Torestore the plunger to its lowered relation, the primary slide 62carries, at opposite sides in ways 'I0 inclined downwardly andrearwardly, with respect to the cutting travel of the knife, a secondaryslide 12, which has spaced arms 58, i4, guided in the ways.Tension-springs '36, weaker than the spring 64, hold the secondary slideraised in its ways to an extent permitted by projections 'I8, 18 fromthe arms, drawn by the springs against the upper extremities of oppositeslots 88, 88 in the primary slide. Pivoted at the upper end of thesecondary slide 'I2 is a terminal portion 84, normally held up by atorsion-spring 86, so that its end 88 may enter a depression S8 in theadjacent side of the plunger In the Planet sole rounder, the support I0,the rotation of which causes the knife to make its cutting stroke, movespast its starting point to fully complete the cut, and then travelsreversely to its initial position. 'Ihis is as disclosed in LettersPatent of the United States No. 1,048,511, Eaton, December 31, 1912. Inthe reverse movement, the depression receives the end 88 of the terminalportion 84, forcing back the secondary slide, the springs 16 'elongatingThe inclination of the slots 88 causes the terminal portion to descend,lowering the plunger 54. The projections 76 having reached the lowerends of the slots 88 (Fig. 8), the plunger has, by its action upon thearm. 46, restored the knife to the rough. cutting position (Fig. '7).The reverse movement of the support I8 continues, the spring 64 nowcompressing as the primary slide 62 moves back (Fig. 9), until the knife22 arrives at its starting point, where it is held as a result of thelimited travel cf the slides. When the cam-surface 66 acted` upon theplunger at the end of the roughing out, the terminal portion 84 yieldedidly against the spring 86, as the plunger-end 68 passed over it. At thebeginning of the succeeding operating cycle, the plunger leaves theterminal portion and releases the two slides to be carried forward bytheir springs.

In the operation of this machine, the support I8 makes two successiveturns during each cycle. In preparation for the rounding of a sole, theoperator applies a blank B to a pattern I6 of the desired contour, andclamps it in place. The support will be in its initial relation, thelplunger 54 having its depression 90 in engagement with the end 88 ofthe portion 84 of the secondary slide l2. This slide and the primaryslide 62 will have been forced back to their full extent (Fig. 9) by thereverse movement of the support at the termination of the previousoperating cycle. The descent of the secondary slide in its inclined ways'i6 will have lowered the plunger (Fig. 7), so the knife 22 is in aposition to act along the line producing the chip C. When the machine isstarted in operation, the travel of the knife about the pattern iscaused by the revolution of the carrierarm I2, the plunger 54 leavingthe terminal portion 84 and allowing the springs 64 and 16 to move theslides and 12 to the positions illustrated in Fig. 4. The knife 22 makesits roughing cut under the guidance of the pattern, separating the chipC from the blank B but leaving a marginal portion outside the finishedcontour of the sole. its first circuit of the pattern, the end k68 ofthe plunger rides up the cam-surface 66, lifting said plunger and,through the lever 46, gearing 42, 4!) and crank-pin 38, shifting theslide 32 and knife to the inner position (Fig. 2). The second travel ofthe knife about the pattern causes it to make the finishing cut,removing the chip c `to form the desired sole. As a result of thesuccessive removal of separate chips, the lateral resistance offered bythe stock to the passage of the knife is diminished, so the drag uponthe stock may be reduced to a point at which the displacing force uponthe work is much too small to cause inaccurate following of the pattern.A plurality of work-pieces may, therefore, be operated upon during asingle operating cycle. After the second cut has been made, the knife 22is backed up in the usual manner. The depression 90 in the plunger nowreceives the end 88 of the terminal portion of the secondary slide,which is carried back, causing the downward component of its travel inthe ways 1D to lower the knife to its rough-cutting position (Figs. '7and 8). In the reverse movement, after the actuation of the secondaryslide, the primary'slide 62 yields, until at the limit of its recessionthe elements are located for the initiation of another operating cycle(Fig. 9). The cut sole may be removed from the pattern and replaced by ablank.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A method of rounding shoe-soles, which consists in clamping togethera sole-blank and a pattern, moving the knife and clamped work relativelyto cause the point of operation of the knife to shift about theperiphery of the pattern to cut from the blank a work-piece larger thanthe finished sole, continuing the relative movement by uninterruptedadvance between the knife and the clamped work to produce the finishedsole, and separating the rounded sole from the pattern.

2. A method of rounding, which consists in clamping together a blank anda pattern, moving a knife guided by contact with the pattern and aboutthe periphery thereof to cut from the blank a work-piece larger than thefinished form, and shifting the knife toward the pattern during anuninterrupted rounding operation and again moving it about said patternguided as before to produce the finished piece.

3. In a rounding machine, the combinatil n with a pattern against whicha blank may be clamped for the rounding operation, of a rounding knife,the' clamped blank and knife being movable relatively to carry the pointof operation of the knife about the pattern, and means made effectiveduring the operation of the machine for positioning the knife to producesuccessive roughing and finishing rounding cuts in the blank.

4. In a rounding machine, the combination with a, pattern against whicha blank may be clamped for the rounding operation, of a rounding knife,the clamped blank and knife being As the knife approaches the end ofmovable relatively to carry the point of' operation of .the knife aboutthe pattern, means for positioning the knife to producesuccessive'roughing and finishing rounding cuts in the blank, the knifebeing vinitially positioned to produce a roughing cut about the entireperiphery of the pattern during the relative movement, and means forautomatically moving the knife during'the relative movement to produce afinishing cut about the entire periphery of the pattern during furtherrelative movement.

5. In a rounding machine, the combination with a pattern against which ablank may be clamped for the rounding operation, of a rounding knife,theclamped blank and knife being movable relatively to carry the pointof operation of the knife about the pattern, means for positioning theknife to produce successive roughing and finishing rounding cuts in theblank, the knife being initially positioned to produce a roughing cutabout the entire periphery of the pattern-during the relative movement,means for moving the knife during the relative movement to produce afinishing cut about the entire periphery 0f the pattern during furtherrelative movement, and means acting during further movement forreturning the knife to its initial position.

6. In a rounding machine, a pattern against which a'blank may be clampedfor the rounding operation, a knife positioned by the pattern, means formoving the knife and clamped blank relatively to carry the point ofoperation of the knife about the periphery of the pattern and cut fromthe blank a work-piece larger than the finished form, and means for thenshifting the knife toward the pattern during an uninterrupted roundingoperation and continuing its movement about said pattern to cut from theblank a finished piece.

7. In a rounding machine, a pattern against which a blank may be clampedfor the rounding operation, a knife positioned by the pattern, the knifeand clamped blank being movable relatively to carry the point ofoperationY of the knife about the periphery of the pattern'continuouslyfor a, plurality of times during each operating cycle, and means forautomatically shifting the knife toward the pattern after the firstoperation of the knife about said pattern.

V8,. In a rounding machine, a pattern against which a blank may beclamped for the rounding operation, aV knife positioned by the pattern,the knife and clamped blank being movable relatively to carry the `pointof operation of the knife during each operating cycle twice about theperiphery of the pattern, means for automatically shifting the knifetoward the pattern after the first operation of the knife about saidpattern, and means for shifting the knife from the pattern afterV itssecond operation.

9. In a rounding machine, a pattern with which a blank maybe associated,-a carrier revoluble about the pattern, a rounding knife movable upontheV carrier, a revoluble actuating member by which the knife is movedinto two operating positions, and means engaged by the actuating memberin its revolution for moving it in opposite directions.

l0. In a rounding machine, a pattern with which a blank may beassociated, a rounding knife, a carrier upon which the knife is movableand which is revoluble forwardly about the pattern to produce therounding cut of the knife and then reversely, and means made effectiveduring the operation of the machine for moving the knife upon thecarrier during, the reverse movement of said carrier.

11. In a rounding machine, a pattern With which a .blank may beassociated, a rounding knife, a carrier upon which the knife is movableand which is revoluble forwardly about the pattern to produce .therounding out of the knife and then reversely, means for moving the knifetoward the pattern during the forward movement of the carrier, and meansmade effective during the operation of the machine for moving the knifefrom the pattern during :the reverse movement of the carrier.

12. In a rounding machine, a pattern, a carrier revoluble about thepattern, a block pivoted upon the carrier and having a guide-surfaceengaging the pattern, a slide movable upon the block, a knife fixed inthe slide, and means for moving the slide to shift the knife toward andfrom the pattern-engaging surface of the block.

13. In a rounding machine, a pattern, a carrier revoluble about thepattern, a block pivoted upon the carrier and having. a guide-surfaceengaging the pattern, a slide movable upon the block, a knife xed in theslide, a plunger movable in the carrier, and means for communicating themovement of the plunger to the slide.

14. In a rounding machine, a pattern, a carrier revoluble about thepattern, a block pivoted upon the carrier and having a guide-surfaceengaging the pattern, a slide movable upon the block, a knife xed in.the slide, a plunger movable in the carrier, means for communicatingthe movement of the plunger to the slide, and means for assisting theplunger in moving the slide.

15. In a rounding machine, a pattern, a carrier revoluble about thepattern, a block pivoted upon the carrier and having, a guide-surfaceengaging the pattern, a `Slide movable upon the block, a knife xed inthe slide, a plunger movable in the carrier and having a groove, and alever fulcrumed upon the block and connected to the slide, said leverhaving a portion movable in the groove of the plunger.

16. In a rounding machine, a pattern, a carrier revoluble about thepattern, a block pivoted upon the carrier and having a guide-surfaceengaging the pattern, a slide movable upon the block, a knife fixed inthe slide, a plunger movable in .the carrier and having a groove, alever fulcrumed upon the block and connected to the slide, said leverhaving a portion movable in the groove of the plunger, and a springacting upon the slide to move the knife toward the pattern.

17. In a rounding machine, a pattern, a carrier revoluble about thepattern, a block pivoted upon the carrier and having a guide-surfaceengaging the pattern, a slide movable upon the block, `a knife xed inthe slide, a shaft rotatable in the block and having a crank-pin actingupon the slide, a lever fulcrumed upon the block, gearing connecting thelever and shaft, and means for oscillating the lever.

18. In a rounding machine, a pattern, a carrier revoluble about thepattern and guided thereby, a rounding knife movable upon the carrier toproduce its cut at different distances from the guiding surface of thepattern, an actuating member movable upon the carrier to position theknife, and means mounted upon a support xed against revolution with thecarrier for moving the actuating member.

19. In a rounding machine, a frame, a pattern mounted upon the frame, acarrier revoluble about the pattern and guided thereby, a rounding knifemovable upon the carrier to produce its cut at different distances fromthe guiding surface of the pattern, an actuating member movable upon thecarrier to position the knife, and a cam movable upon the frame andacting upon the actuating member in the movement of the carrier.

20. In a rounding machine, a frame, a pattern mounted upon the frame, acarrier revoluble about the pattern and guided thereby, a rounding knifemovable upon the carrier to produce its cut at different distances fromthe guiding surface of the pattern, an actuating member movable upon thecarrier to position the knife, and means mounted upon the frame formoving the actuating member in opposite directions.

2l. In a rounding machine, a pattern, a carrier revoluble in oppositedirections about the pattern and guided thereby, a rounding knifemovable upon the carrier to produce its cut at different distances fromthe guiding surface of the pattern, an actuating member movable upon thecarrier to position the knife, and members mounted upon a support fixedrelatively to the carrier and engaging the actuating member to move itoppositely during the opposite movements of the carrier.

22. In a rounding machine, a frame, a pattern mounted upon the frame, acarrier revoluble in opposite directions about the pattern and guidedthereby, a rounding knife movable upon the carrier to produce its cut atdifferent distances from the guiding surface of the pattern, anactuating member movable upon the carrier to position the knife for itsdifferent cuts, means mounted upon the frame and engaging the actuatingmember to move it in one direction during the advance of the carrier togive one position of the knife, and means movable upon the frame by theactuating member in the reverse movement of the carrier and in suchmovement producing another position of the knife.

23. In a rounding machine, a frame, a pattern mounted upon the frame, acarrier revoluble in opposite directions about the pattern and guidedthereby, a rounding knife movable upon the carrier to produce its cut atdifferent distances from the guiding surface of the pattern, anactuating member movable upon the carrier to position the knife for itsdifferent cuts, a cam mounted upon the frame and engaging the actuatingmember to move it in one direction during the advance of the carrier togive one position of the knife, and a slide movable upon the frame in aninclined direction by the actuating member upon reverse movement of thecarrier and in such movement moving the actuating member to produceanother position of the knife.

24. In a rounding machine, a frame, a pattern mounted upon the frame, acarrier revoluble in opposite directions about the pattern and,

guided thereby, a rounding knife movable upon the carrier to produce itscut at different distances from the guiding surface of the pattern, anactuating member movable upon the carrier to position the knife, and aslide yieldable upon the frame and having a cam-surface by which theactuating member is moved, said slide yielding under the influence ofthe actuating member upon reverse movement of the carrier to a point atwhich it stops such reverse movement.

25. In a rounding machine, a frame, a pattern mounted upon the frame, acarrier revoluble in opposite directions about the pattern and guidedthereby, a rounding knife movable upon the carrier to produce its cut atdifferent distances from the guiding surface of the pattern, anactuating member movable upon the carrier to position the knife, aprimary slide yieldable upon the frame and having a cam-surface by whichthe actuating member is moved in one direction, and a secondary slideyieldable in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined direction upon theprimary slide under the iniiuence of the actuating member upon reversemovement of the carrier` and engaging said actuating member to move itin the opposite direction.

26. In a rounding machine, a frame, a pattern mounted upon the frame, acarrier revoluble in opposite directions about the pattern and guidedthereby, a rounding knife movable upon the carrier to produce its cut atdierent distances from the guiding surface of the pattern, an actuatingmember movable upon the carrier to position the knife, a primary slideyieldable upon the frame and having a cam-surface by whichthe actuatingmember is moved in one direction, and a secondary slide yieldable in adownwardly and rearwardly inclined direction upon the primary slideunder the innuence of the actuating member upon reve-rse movement of thecarrier and engaging said actuating member to move it in the oppositedirection, the extent of yield of the slides limiting such reversemovement of the carrier.

ERNEST W. STACEY.

